A heartfelt farewell to our dear Óscar 

With disbelief I heard some days ago of the passing of Óscar Ugarteche, one of the Tax Justice Network’s long time senior advisers. This mournful news left me dismayed. The loss of an inspiring person always brings sadness even to those of us who were not fortunate enough to meet him in person. At the same time, this news made me want to pay tribute to the greatness of his persona. 

Characterised by his vast knowledge and capacity to communicate complex sets of problems in an easily digestible way, Óscar was considered a prominent intellectual of his time whose acute perspective on the global economy was constantly on request. The Tax Justice Network was among the many institutions that always appreciated to have his point of view on current affairs. 

Óscar worked in an array of topics related to the tax justice movement and beyond, including the interventionist role of international financial institutions, climate change and energy transition, the pandemic, the commercial conflict between the giants USA and China, the economic consequences of the wars in Ukraine and Iran, and the articulation of fiscal policies for the public interest among Latin American countries. This latter stimulating interest, present in the broad spectrum of his curiosity since his youth, led him to co-found in 2000 the Latin American and Caribbean Network for Economic, Social, and Climate Justice (LATINDADD, by its acronym in Spanish). 

One of his recurrent resolutions was to champion for the redesign of the international financial architecture. His critical analysis of existing institutions like the International Monetary Fund drove him to question whether the rules of the international financial system benefit the global economy, or rather those who drafted them. Bottom line, a new international order with less conditionality and fairer outcomes for developing countries is what a healthy economy should aim for. 

Marcelo Justo, host of the Tax Justice Network’s Spanish podcast Justicia Impositiva shared some of his most rewarding experiences working with Óscar for some of the episodes: 

“Over the past six years, the dear Óscar became a constant touchstone for our program. The encyclopedic knowledge he commanded always offered a perspective distinct from dominant media narratives, with his beloved Latin America at the heart of his vision. Oscar combined this knowledge with a gift for teaching and a relentless pursuit of the specific data, detail, or angle that allowed for a different way of viewing the issues of our time.” 

We invite you to listen to the episodes in which we had his incisive intervention in the following link. 

Outside the field of economics, Óscar was also a role model in the defence of long-neglected rights of the LGTB+ community. As a gay man, he decided to stand up for his rights in times where the status quo was dominated by entrenched conservatism in Peru. But unity is strength, and the reason why in the early 80’s he decided to co-found the Lima Homosexual Movement (MHOL, by its Spanish acronym). 

This bold first step meant hope for those who were not ready to fight head-on against the prejudices that were deeply embedded in the mindset of the times. Many joined the movement since, and some other movements were also created in this pursuit of recognition for equality among people. Some sort of awareness was triggered, and tolerance began to gain ground little by little. 

Óscar eventually moved to Mexico, where he met the man who would later become his husband, Fidel Aroche. They married in 2010 under marital legislation in Mexico, which allows same-sex marriage. Then they tried to register their wedding in Peru, which still doesn’t. As the Peruvian register office rejected this request, Óscar initiated a legal battle alleging a violation of the principle and right to equality and non-discrimination. After an exhausting process that ended up in the Constitutional Court, the justices decided not to rule on the merits of the case and the case was lost due to shameful legalistic quibbles. A battle was lost. But the fire that burnt in our hearts demanding recognition remains relentless.  

What we learnt from Óscar Ugarteche is that unfairness is out there ready to be confronted. Sometimes it affects others more, sometimes it touches you more personally. But in any case, the opportunity to change reality is within our reach when we start movements, form alliances, think together and work for the common good. Challenges will be tough and changes will sometimes be slow. However, it is worth the effort to rise to the occasion when one believes that a fairer world is still possible. 

This is a lesson that will always stay with us, dear Óscar.

Image credit: © CDI LUM, DESCO Collection